Tying a bow tie is the one test still capable of defeating any man, no matter how young, hip, old or elegant.
Which is ironic, since the bow tie, the kind you tie yourself, is becoming a hit with all kinds of men — in the office, in the pub and still hanging in there at formal events such as weddings or awards banquets.
“You can rock a bow tie with a jeans and blazer these days just as easily as you can wear them with a suit,” said Dale Olsen of Outlooks for Men, 534 Yates St.
“They are just a simple, small way to freshen up a look,” he said.
Traditionally speaking, the bow tie has been reserved for those formal events when a man is wearing a tuxedo. Typically, the shirt is fastened down the front with jewelled, gold buttons, so it makes no sense to hide them behind a dangling necktie. Therefore, “black tie” on an invitation means bow tie.
The formal bow tie is usually made of fine silk, in rich single colours or traditional patterns. Paisley remains a popular pattern choice.
However, bow ties are moving beyond the traditional, dressy silk. Patterned cotton, wool and various fabrics blended with polyester and nylon are making a show in the bow tie.
“It’s really all in the fabric,” said Ryan Grifone, of the Four Horsemen Shop, 635 Johnson St.
Grifone sells a brand of bow tie, The Hill-side, from Brooklyn, N.Y., that prides itself on using heavy-duty fabrics such as canvas, patterned Japanese cottons and denim.
The Hill-side bow ties feature a variety of fabrics: quilted, double-faced cotton flannel, brushed chambray or rougher weaved cotton.
It all makes for what Grifone calls a very “American” look.
And for those men who haven’t stoked up the nerve to learn how to tie a bow tie, Four Horsemen stocks a clip-on variety.
But for Scott Thompson at W&J Wilson Ltd., 1221 Government St., a clip-on tie misses the point.
“It’s almost like a badge of manhood, knowing how to tie a bow tie,” said Thompson, whose family connections go back with the store nearly 150 years.
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When it comes to tying a bow tie, Thompson, like most haberdashers, says it’s important to keep in mind it really is a “bow,” like a shoelace.
Also keep in mind, a mirror is going to make it tricky since it will only reverse everything. Try tying a shoelace by looking in a mirror and you’ll get the point.
But Thompson said a good tip is to tie it around your leg first. With most modern bow ties coming apart at the back with a snap, a clasp or even Velcro, it’s easy to take the neatly tied bow tie off the thigh and place it around your neck.
“It’s a heck of a lot easier than standing in a mirror,” Thompson said.
Like the other menswear stores in town, Thompson said W&J Wilson is selling them to younger men dressing casually these days.
“They are something to make a statement, to be a little bit different,” he said.
At Outlooks, Olsen said accessories are popular in men’s fashions: scarves, belts, watches and bracelets and of course, the bow tie.
He said he wouldn’t advise a client to switch to bow ties exclusively. “That would be a bit weird,” he said, “but occasionally, say once a week, mixing it up with a bow tie can be super fun. The worst thing that will happen is you’ll probably get lots of nice compliments.”
